LUMBERTON — The Lumberton Future Farmers of America chapter recently traveled to Louisville, Ky. to attend the 88th National FFA Convention and Expo.

Two teams made up of eight students went to the convention with their three advisers to compete in the National Quiz Bowl Competition. Aaron West, Destinee Lowery, Macy Hester and Madison Carter made up the senior team, while Taylor Roberts, Savannah Jones, Ralphie Prado and Daniel McDonald made up the junior team.

The first general session was held at Freedom Hall at the Louisville Fairgrounds where the group met National FFA officers and heard from keynote speaker Rick Rigsby, who authored “Lessons From a Third Grade Dropout.”

The group made their second stop at the Expo Center, where they received information on colleges around the country. Agricultural companies were also present to recruit future employees. The group also made a stop at the FFA Mall, where students could buy FFA merchandise.

The second general session the group attended featured Kristin Schmidt, an FFA national officer who gave her retiring address.

Other events at the convention included the FFA talent competition and the National Chapter Award Ceremony.

While they still had time in Kentucky, the group visited the Louisville Slugger Baseball Museum and learned how craftsmen made bats the old-fashioned way, before modern technology. They also learned which type of timber is used to make Louisville Slugger bats.

Before heading back to Lumberton, the group visited Churchill Downs, where the Kentucky Derby is held. Their excursion also brought them to a museum where they watched a brief documentary on American Pharaoh, the most recent Triple Crown Champion.

For information on the Lumberton High School FFA chapter, contact Jada Taylor at [email protected].